Sports Field Guide

Rick Hummel

A few nuggets from Hall of Fame baseball writer Rick Hummel, a beat reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who spoke at today’s MPI sports conference here in St. Louis.

What motivates Hummel to keep writing about baseball after so many years:

“Every day you look at what you’ve done and say, ‘How can you do better?’ Baseball is so enjoyable. I can’t think of any two games that are remotely the same. Every day you’ll see something out there [on the field] that you never saw before. Maybe someone will hit five home runs.  I’ve covered four or five no-hitters. That makes it interesting. I’m not sure I’d have the same verve for it if I covered another sport. I don’t find baseball monotonous at all.”

On relationships with players:

“You can be friends with players, but you shouldnt’ be out with them socially until they retire.”

Hummel also suggested that reporters talk with bench player more frequently so they’ll know you – and more importantly, speak with you – if they do something noteworthy.